UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

  

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) May 21, 2020

 

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

  

Nevada   001-38803   82-1553794
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  (Commission File Number)   (I. R. S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1039

New York, New York 10020

(Address of principal executive offices, including ZIP code)

 

(646) 756-2997

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

  

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class   Trading Symbol(s)   Name of each exchange on
which registered
Common stock, $0.0001 par value   HOTH   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company   ☒

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On May 21, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”), as representative of the several underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto (the “Underwriters”), relating to the public offering (the “Offering”) of 1,818,182 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at a price to the public of $2.75 per Share (the “Offering Price”). Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company has also granted the Underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 272,727 shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares” and together with the Shares, the “Securities”) to cover over-allotments, if any, at the Offering Price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Shares, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by the Company, are expected to be approximately $4.5 million assuming no exercise by the Underwriters of their over-allotment option for the Option Shares, or $5.2 million if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option for the Option Shares in full.

 

In connection with the Offering, the Company has agreed to issue Benchmark warrants to purchase up to a number of shares Common Stock representing five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Securities sold in the offering (the “Warrants” and together with the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, the “Benchmark Securities”), of which 90,909 are expected to be issued on the initial closing date of the Offering, assuming no Option Shares are sold. The Warrants will be exercisable for a period of five years commencing six months from the Effective Date at a price per share equal to $2.75 and are exercisable on a “cashless” basis.

 

The Securities will be issued pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-236887) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 4, 2020 and declared effective by the Commission on March 11, 2020 and a related prospectus supplement dated May 21, 2020. The Offering is expected to close on or about May 27, 2020, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

 

Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Company, its directors, officers and certain shareholders have agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of any of the Company’s securities held by them for a period ending 46 days after the Effective Date without first obtaining the written consent of Benchmark.

 

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, agreements and obligations, conditions to closing and termination provisions. The Underwriting Agreement provides for indemnification by the Underwriters of the Company, its directors and officers, and by the Company of the Underwriters, for certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and affords certain rights of contribution with respect thereto.

 

The legal opinion of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP relating to the legality of the issuance and sale of the Securities is attached as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

The description of terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement and the form of Warrant set forth herein do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by the full text of the Underwriting Agreement and the form of Warrant, which are attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and 4.1, respectively.

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

 

Item 3.02 Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

 

The information contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K in relation to the Benchmark Securities is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Benchmark Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the securities laws of any state, and were offered and issued in reliance on the exemption from registration under the Securities Act afforded by Section 4(a)(2) thereof.

 

Item 8.01  Other Events.

 

On May 21, 2020, the Company issued a press release announcing the pricing of the public offering of the Securities. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   Description
   
1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated May 21, 2020, by and between Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. and The Benchmark Company, LLC
4.1   Form of Warrant
5.1   Legal Opinion of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP
23.1   Consent of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
99.1   Press Release dated May 21, 2020

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: May 22, 2020 Hoth Therapeutics, Inc.
   
  /s/ Robb Knie
  Robb Knie
  Chief Executive Officer

 

 

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Exhibit 1.1 

 

HOTH THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

1,818,182 Shares of Common Stock

 

May 21, 2020

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

As the Representative of the

Several Underwriters Named on Schedule I hereto

 

c/o The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58th St., 17th Floor

New York, NY 10155

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters,” or each, an “Underwriter”), for whom The Benchmark Company, LLC is acting as the representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 1,818,182 authorized but unissued shares (the “Firm Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company. The Company also proposes to sell to the Underwriters, upon the terms and conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof, up to an additional 272,727 shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”). The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The Shares, the Underwriter Warrants (as defined below) and the Underwriter Warrant Shares (as defined below) are collectively referred to as the “Securities.”

 

The Company and the several Underwriters hereby confirm their agreement as follows:

 

1. Registration Statement and Prospectus.

 

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-236887) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission thereunder relating to the Shares and such amendments to such registration statement (including post effective amendments) as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. Such registration statement, as amended (including any post effective amendments), has been declared effective by the Commission. The registration statement, together with the amendments prior to the date of this Agreement, including the information (if any) deemed to be a part of, or incorporated by reference into, the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or at such time as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement” and the related prospectus, dated March 11, 2020, included in the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement first became effective is hereinafter called the “Base Prospectus”. If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

The Company is filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a final prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus relating to the Shares. The final prospectus supplement as filed, along with the Base Prospectus, is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.” The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, together with any preliminary prospectus supplement used or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Rules and Regulations, in the form provided to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares. Such Final Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus in the form in which they shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including the Base Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a “Prospectus.” Reference made herein to the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein and any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commissions thereunder, incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. The term “Effective Date” shall mean each date that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or become effective.

 

The Commission has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of form of Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto.]

 

 

 

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company Regarding the Offering.

 

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(d) below) and as of each Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(b) below), as follows:

 

(i) No Material Misstatements or Omissions. At each time of effectiveness, at the date hereof, at the Closing Date, and at each Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not, does not, and will not, as the case may be, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined in Section 2(a)(iv)(A)(1) below) as of 8:30 PM (Eastern time) (the “Applicable Time”) on the date hereof, at the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, if any, the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, at the time of filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, at the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date, if any, and any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined in Section 2(a)(iv) below), when considered together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, did not, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or any Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(g). The Registration Statement contains all exhibits and schedules required to be filed by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. No order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of the Registration Statement or any Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(ii) Marketing Materials. The Company has not distributed any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the roadshow or investor presentations delivered to and approved by the Representative for use in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares (the “Marketing Materials”).

 

(iii) Emerging Growth Company. The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

(iv) Accurate Disclosure. (A) The Company has provided a copy to the Underwriters of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) used in the sale of Shares. The Company has filed all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses required to be so filed with the Commission, and no order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. When taken together with the rest of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, no Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times though the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares, has, does or will include (1) any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (2) information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus. The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(g). As used in this paragraph and elsewhere in this Agreement:

 

(1) “Time of Sale Disclosure Package” means the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus most recently filed with the Commission before the time of this Agreement, including any preliminary prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the description of the transaction provided by the Underwriters included on Schedule II.

 

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(2) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Securities that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, or (B) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) or (d)(8) under the Securities Act, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.

 

(B) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or an “excluded issuer” as defined in Rule 164 under the Securities Act.

 

(C) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule III satisfied, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), all other conditions as may be applicable to its use as set forth in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act, including any legend, record-keeping or other requirements.

 

(vi) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes and schedules, included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and fairly present the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) consistently applied throughout the periods involved. No other financial statements or schedules are required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the Rules and Regulations to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.

 

(vii) Independent Accountants. To the Company’s knowledge, WithumSmith+Brown, PC, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

 

(viii) Accounting and Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by references in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and are prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

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The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and any subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

 

(ix) Forward-Looking Statements. The Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or the Marketing Materials.

 

(x) Statistical and Marketing-Related Data. All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, or included in the Marketing Materials, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources, to the extent required.

 

(xi) Trading Market. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”). There is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, Nasdaq to delist the Common Stock from Nasdaq, nor has the Company received any notification that Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such listing. When issued, the Shares and the Underwriter Warrant Shares will be listed on Nasdaq.

 

(xii) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xiii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the net proceeds thereof, including the proceeds received upon the exercise of the Underwriter Warrants will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

3. Representations and Warranties Regarding the Company.

 

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Date and as of each Option Closing Date, as set forth below. If the Company has no subsidiaries, all other references to the subsidiaries or any of them shall be disregarded.

 

(i) Good Standing. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has the power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to so qualify would not have or be reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or in its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

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(ii) Authorization. The Company has the power and authority to enter into this Agreement and issue the Underwriter Warrants and to authorize, issue and sell the Shares and the Underwriter Warrant Shares as contemplated by this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants. This Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants have been duly authorized by the Company, and when executed and delivered by the Company, will constitute the valid, legal and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity.

 

(iii) Contracts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (A) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law, order, rule or regulation to which the Company or any subsidiary is subject, or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected, (B) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) (a “Default Acceleration Event”) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument (the “Contracts”) or obligation or other understanding to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any subsidiary is bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, default, or Default Acceleration Event is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s articles of incorporation, as amended, or bylaws.

 

(iv) No Violations of Governing Documents. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation, breach or default under its articles of incorporation, as amended, bylaws or other equivalent organizational or governing documents.

 

(v) Consents. No consents, approvals, orders, authorizations or filings are required on the part of the Company in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement and the Underwriter Warrants and the issue and sale of the Securities, except (A) the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities, which has been effected, (B) the necessary filings and approvals from Nasdaq to list the Shares and the Underwriter Warrant Shares, (C) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the several Underwriters, (D) such consents and approvals as have been obtained and are in full force and effect, and (E) such consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings the failure of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(vi) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. All of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims. Except for the issuances of options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business, since the respective dates as of which information is provided in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, the Company has not entered into or granted any convertible or exchangeable securities, options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company. The Shares, when issued and paid for as provided herein, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights and will conform to the description of the capital stock of the Company contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Underwriter Warrants (the “Underwriter Warrant Shares”), when issued, paid for and delivered upon due exercise of the Underwriter Warrants will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights. The Underwriter Warrant Shares have been reserved for issuance. The Underwriter Warrants, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

 

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(vii) Taxes. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has (a) filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof and (b) paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due and payable on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective subsidiary. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. No issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its subsidiaries, and no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

(viii) Material Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, upon the conversion of outstanding shares of preferred stock or other convertible securities or the issuance of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company’s existing stock awards plan, or any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business), (d) there has not been any material change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt, and (e) there has not been the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ix) Absence of Proceedings. There is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any action, suit or proceeding to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body, or any arbitrator or mediator, which is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x) Permits. The Company and each of its subsidiaries holds, and is in compliance with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders (“Permits”) of any governmental or self-regulatory agency, authority or body (including, without limitation, those administered by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “FDA”) or by any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA) required for the conduct of its business, and all such Permits are in full force and effect, in each case except where the failure to hold, or comply with, any of them is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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(xi) Good Title. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects, except those that are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and those that are not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

(xii) Intellectual Property. The Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its subsidiaries involves or gives rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property of others, except where such action, use, license or fee is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement or fee. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the technology employed by the Company or any subsidiary has been obtained or is being used by the Company or such subsidiary in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or such subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the officers, directors or employees of the Company or any subsidiary, or, to the Company’s knowledge, otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.

 

(xiii) Employment Matters. There is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against it or any of its subsidiaries, before the National Labor Relations Board, any state or local labor relation board or any foreign labor relations board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is so pending against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against it and (B) no labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries, principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, that could reasonably be expected, singularly or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not aware that any key employee or significant group of employees of the Company or any subsidiary plans to terminate employment with the Company or any such subsidiary.

 

(xiv) ERISA Compliance. No “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”)) or “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or any of the events set forth in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect to which the thirty (30)-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which would reasonably be expected to, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with applicable law, including ERISA and the Code. The Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred and could not reasonably be expected to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any pension plan (as defined in ERISA). Each pension plan for which the Company or any of its subsidiaries would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could, singularly or in the aggregate, cause the loss of such qualification.

 

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(xv) Environmental Matters. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries has knowledge.

 

(xvi) SOX Compliance. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof.

 

(xvii) Certain Regulatory Matters. The clinical, pre-clinical and other studies and tests conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company or its subsidiaries that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus were and, if still pending, are being conducted in accordance in all material respects with all statutes, laws, rules and regulations, as applicable (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA or by any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA). The descriptions of the results of such studies and tests that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the published data derived from such studies and tests, and each of the Company and its subsidiaries has no knowledge of other studies or tests, the results of which are materially inconsistent with or otherwise call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, neither the Company nor its subsidiaries has received any notices or other correspondence from the FDA or any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA with respect to any ongoing clinical or pre-clinical studies or tests requiring the termination or suspension of such studies or tests. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company makes no representation or warranty that the results of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company will be sufficient to obtain governmental approval from the FDA or any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority. The Company has established and administers a compliance program applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries, to assist the Company, its subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers and employees in complying with applicable regulatory guidelines (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA and any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA). Except as would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has failed to file with the applicable regulatory authorities (excluding the FDA or any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA) any filing, declaration, listing, registration, report or submission that is required to be so filed. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has failed to file with the FDA or any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA, any filing, declaration, listing, registration, report or submission that is required to be so filed. All such filings were in material compliance with applicable laws when filed and no deficiencies have been asserted by any applicable regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the FDA or any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA) with respect to any such filings, declarations, listings, registrations, reports or submissions.

 

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(xviii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (as defined below) (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. “Governmental Entity” shall be defined as any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency (whether foreign or domestic) having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations.

 

(xix) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, representative, agent, affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(xx) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(xxi) Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

 

(xxii) Books and Records. The minute books of the Company and each of its subsidiaries have been made available to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, and such books (i) contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions of the board of directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable), and each of its subsidiaries since the time of its respective incorporation or organization through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii) accurately in all material respects reflect all transactions referred to in such minutes.

 

(xxiii) No Undisclosed Contracts. There is no Contract or document required by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or in the Final Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statements which is not so described or filed therein as required, and all descriptions of any such Contracts or documents contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Final Prospectus are accurate and complete descriptions of such documents in all material respects. Other than as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no such Contract has been suspended or terminated for convenience or default by the Company or any subsidiary party thereto or any of the other parties thereto, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice, and the Company has no knowledge, of any such pending or threatened suspension or termination.

 

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(xxiv) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders (or analogous interest holders), customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus and which is not so described.

 

(xxv) Insider Transactions. All transactions by the Company with office holders or control persons of the Company have been duly approved by the board of directors of the Company, or duly appointed committees or officers thereof, if and to the extent required under applicable law.

 

(xxvi) No Registration Rights. No person or entity has the right to require registration of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries within 180 days of the date hereof because of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or otherwise, except for persons and entities who have expressly waived such right in writing or who have been given timely and proper written notice and have failed to exercise such right within the time or times required under the terms and conditions of such right. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or similar rights to have any securities registered by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under the Securities Act.

 

(xxvii) Continued Business. No supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the Company or any subsidiary has notified the Company or any subsidiary that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company or any subsidiary, except where such discontinuation or decrease has not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxviii) No Finder’s Fee. There are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or understandings for services in the nature of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee with respect to the introduction of the Company to any Underwriter or the sale of the Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances with respect to the Company that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

(xxix) No Fees. Except as disclosed to the Representative in writing, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member within the twelve (12)-month period prior to the date on which the initial Preliminary Prospectus was filed with the Commission (“Filing Date”) or thereafter.

 

(xxx) Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating FINRA member, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

(xxxi) No FINRA Affiliations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge and except as disclosed to the Representative in writing, no (i) officer or director of the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters if it becomes aware that any officer, director of the Company or its subsidiaries or any owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the offering.

 

(xxxii) No Financial Advisor. Other than the Underwriters, no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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(xxxiii) Certain Statements. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the captions “Intellectual Property Portfolio” and “Government Regulation,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair, and under the caption “Description of Capital Stock” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of (i) the terms of the Company’s outstanding securities, (ii) the terms of the Shares, and (iii) the terms of the documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair.

 

(xxxiv) Prior Sales of Securities. Except as set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company has not sold or issued any shares of Common Stock during the six (6)-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, stock option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding preferred stock, options, rights or warrants or other outstanding convertible securities.

 

(b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

4. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Shares.

 

(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Shares to the several Underwriters, and the several Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase the Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of the Underwriters in Schedule I hereto. The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters to the Company for each Firm Share shall be $2.5575 per share. The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public (the “Offering”) at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus.

 

(b) The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the option to purchase some or all of the Option Shares and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right, severally and not jointly, to purchase at the purchase price set forth in Section 4(a) all or any portion of the Option Shares as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. This option may be exercised by the Underwriters at any time and from time to time on or before the forty-fifth (45th) day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company (the “Option Notice”). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the first (1st) business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth (5th) business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the Representative otherwise agree. If the Underwriters elect to purchase less than all of the Option Shares, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter the number of Option Shares obtained by multiplying the number of Option Shares specified in such notice by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Option Shares set forth opposite the name of the Underwriter in Schedule I hereto under the caption “Number of Option Shares to be Sold” and the denominator of which is the total number of Option Shares.

 

(c) Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Option Shares shall be made on an Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Shares, as set forth in subparagraph (d) below.

 

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(d) The Firm Shares will be delivered by the Company to the Representative, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company at the offices of The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10155, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, on the date specified for regular way settlement in Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act (or if the Firm Shares are priced after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the date specified therein), or at such other time and date as the Representative and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in the case of the Option Shares, at such date and time set forth in the Option Notice. The time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver the Firm Shares, which shall be registered in the name or names and shall be in such denominations as the Representative may request on behalf of the Underwriters at least one (1) business day before the Closing Date, to the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, which delivery shall be made through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC system.

 

(e) It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representative, individually and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(f) On the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall issue to the Representative (and/or its designees), warrants (the “Underwriter Warrants”), in form and substance acceptable to the Representative, for the purchase of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to 5.0% of the shares of Common Stock sold by the Company hereunder on the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as applicable, which shall be registered in the name or names and shall be in such denominations as the Representative may request at least one (1) business day before the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable.

 

5. Covenants.

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

 

(i) The Company shall prepare the Final Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and file such Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second (2nd) business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by the Rules and Regulations.

 

(ii) During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as determined by the Representative the Final Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an underwriter or dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, including any Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review and comment a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.

 

(iii) From the date of this Agreement until the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in writing (A) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (B) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (C) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending its use or the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A or 430C as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) of the Securities Act).

 

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(iv) (A) During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act, as now and hereafter amended, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs the result of which would cause the Final Prospectus (or if the Final Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) to include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus (or if the Final Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) to comply with the Securities Act, or to file under the Exchange Act any document that would be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representative, allow the Representative the opportunity to provide reasonable comments on such amendment, prospectus supplement or document, and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus (or if the Final Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

(B) If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period there occurred or occurs an event or development the result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or any Prospectus or included or would include, when taken together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

(v) The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, to execute a general consent to service of process in any state or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject.

 

(vi) The Company will furnish to the Underwriters and counsel to the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, each Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(vii) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than fifteen (15) months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a twelve (12) month period beginning after the date of this Agreement that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

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(viii) The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid (A) all expenses (including transfer taxes allocated to the respective transferees) incurred in connection with the delivery to the Underwriters of the Securities (including all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares and the registrar and transfer agent of the Underwriter Warrants (if other than the Company), and the cost of preparing and printing stock certificates and warrant certificates), (B) all expenses and fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel) in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, delivery, and shipping of the Registration Statement (including the financial statements therein and all amendments, schedules, and exhibits thereto), the Securities, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, (C) all reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of the Underwriters’ counsel incurred in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale by the Underwriters or by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of the states and other jurisdictions that the Representative shall designate, (D) the reasonable filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incident to any required review and approval by FINRA, of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (F) listing fees, if any, and (G) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder that are not otherwise specifically provided for herein. The Company will reimburse the Underwriters for (I) the Underwriters’ reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (excluding amounts payable pursuant to clause (II) below), including legal fees and disbursements, in connection with the purchase and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby up to an aggregate of $75,000 (including amounts payable pursuant to clauses (C) and (D) above) and (II) the fees, expenses and disbursements of the Underwriters relating to background checks of the Company’s officers and directors in an amount not to exceed $7,500 in the aggregate. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 6, Section 7 or Section 9, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket disbursements (including, but not limited to, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges and road show expenses) incurred by the Underwriter in connection with their investigation, preparing to market and marketing the Shares or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder.

 

(ix) The Company intends to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

 

(x) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or that has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xi) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter, severally, and not jointly, represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule III. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied or will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record-keeping.

 

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(xii) The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, during the period ending forty six (46) days after the date hereof (“Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, issue, sell, contract to sell, purchase, contract to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; or (iii) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The restrictions contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to (1) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (2) the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or warrants or the conversion of outstanding preferred stock or other outstanding convertible securities disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto), the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, and the Final Prospectus, or (3) the issuance of employee stock options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period and the grant of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units or shares of Common Stock pursuant to equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto), the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, and the Final Prospectus.

 

(xiii) The Company hereby agrees, during a period of three (3) years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to the Representative copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to shareholders, and to deliver to the Representative as soon as reasonably practicable upon availability, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; provided, that any information or documents available on EDGAR shall be considered furnished for purposes of this Section 5(a)(xiii).

 

(xiv) The Company hereby agrees to engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock and a registrar and transfer agent for the Underwriter Warrants (if other than the Company).

 

(xv) The Company hereby agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain approval to list the Shares and the Underwriter Warrant Shares on Nasdaq.

 

(xvi) The Company hereby agrees not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xvii) The Company will promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (a) the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period and (b) the expiration of the lock-up period described in Section 5(a)(xii) above.

 

6. Conditions of the Underwriter’s Obligations. The respective obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder to purchase the Shares are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and at all times through the Closing Date, and on each Option Closing Date (as if made on the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as applicable), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the following additional conditions:

 

(a) If filing of the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, is required under the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company shall have filed the Final Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission in the manner and within the time period so required (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) under the Securities Act); the Registration Statement shall remain effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, any Rule 462 Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; any request of the Commission or the Representative for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Representative.

 

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(b) The Shares and the Underwriter Warrant Shares shall be approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution.

 

(c) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(d) The Representative shall not have reasonably determined, and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the reasonable opinion of the Representative, is material, or omits to state a fact which, in the reasonable opinion of the Representative, is material and is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(e) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative, for the benefit of the Underwriters, the opinion and negative assurance letters of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, counsel to the Company, each dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(f) [Intentionally omitted.]

 

(g) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative, for the benefit of the Underwriters, the negative assurance letter of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(h) The Representative, for the benefit of the Underwriters, shall have received a letter of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, on the date hereof and on the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters, confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and confirming, as of the date of each such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, as of a date not prior to the date hereof or more than five days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other matters required by the Underwriters.

 

(i) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative, for the benefit of the Underwriters, a certificate, dated the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company, in their capacity as officers of the Company, to the effect that:

 

(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement that are qualified by materiality or by reference to any Material Adverse Effect are true and correct in all respects, and all other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, in all material respects, as if made at and as of the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part required to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as applicable;

 

(ii) No stop order or other order (A) suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, (B) suspending the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale, or (C) suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body; and

 

(iii) There has been no occurrence of any event resulting or reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect during the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as applicable.

 

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(j) On or before the date hereof, the Representative shall have received duly executed lock-up agreements (each a “Lock-Up Agreement”) in the form set forth on Exhibit A hereto, by and between the Representative and each of the parties specified in Schedule IV.

 

If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

(k) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters and their counsel such additional documents, certificates and evidence as the Representative or its counsel may have reasonably requested.

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 5(a)(viii), Section 7 and Section 9 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, or arise out of or are based upon the omission from the Registration Statement, or alleged omission to state therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or the Marketing Materials or in any other materials used in connection with the offering of the Shares, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iii) in whole or in part, any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, or (iv) in whole or in part, any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law, and will reimburse such party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that such indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such Underwriter) in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the related Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f).

 

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(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its directors and each officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(g), and will reimburse such party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with evaluating, investigating, and defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. The obligation of each Underwriter to indemnify the Company (including any controlling person, director or officer thereof) shall be limited to the amount of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder actually received by such Underwriter.

 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.

 

The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (a) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (b) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

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(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering and sale of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder actually received by such Underwriter. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

 

(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act; and the obligations of each Underwriter under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that each Underwriter may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Company’s directors, the officers of the Company signing the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.

 

(f) For purposes of this Agreement, each Underwriter severally confirms, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than (i) the statement set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus, (ii) the marketing and legal names of each Underwriter and (iii) the statements set forth in the “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)” section of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, and the Final Prospectus only insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and re-allowance, if any, or to over-allotment, stabilization, electronic distribution and related activities that may be undertaken by such Underwriter.

 

8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company contained herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of the several Underwriters and the Company contained in Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the several Underwriters or any controlling person thereof, or the Company, its directors, the officers of the Company signing the Registration Statement, or any of its controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Shares to and by the Underwriters hereunder.

 

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9. Termination of this Agreement.

 

(a) The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date (as to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date only), if in the discretion of the Representative, (i) there has occurred any material adverse change in the securities markets or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representative, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities markets or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Shares or enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares (ii) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or Nasdaq or trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the NYSE or the NYSE American shall have been suspended, (iii) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the NYSE or NYSE American, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (iv) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (v) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions or any other calamity or crisis, or (vi) the Company suffers any loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or (vii) in the judgment of the Representative, there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, any material adverse change in the assets, properties, condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

(b) If the Representative elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section, the Company and the other Underwriters shall be notified promptly by the Representative by telephone, confirmed by letter.

 

10. Substitution of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase Shares hereunder on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall so default and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default or defaults occur is more than ten percent (10%) of the total number of Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the remaining Underwriters and the Company for the purchase of such Shares by other persons are not made within forty-eight (48) hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate.

 

If the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters are required hereby or agree to take up all or part of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date as provided in this Section 10, (i) the Company shall have the right to postpone such Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a period of not more than five (5) full business days in order to permit the Company to effect whatever changes in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, which may thereby be made necessary, and the Company agrees to promptly file any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus which may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the respective numbers of Shares to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting obligation for all purposes of this Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability to the Company or any other Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company, except that the representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities, agreements and other statements set forth in Section 2 and 3, the obligations with respect to expenses to be paid or reimbursed pursuant to Section 5 and the provisions of Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 9 and Sections 11 through 18, inclusive, shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect.

 

As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 10. Any action taken under this Section 10 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

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11. Notices. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Representative, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10155, telecopy number: (212) 312-6790, Attention: Michael S. Jacobs, Head of Equity Capital Markets; and if to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered or telecopied to it at Hoth Therapeutics, Inc., 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1039, New York, New York 10020 telecopy number: (347) 412-4193, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 38th Floor, New York, New York 10112, Attention: Richard Friedman, Esq.; or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing. Any party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.

 

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 7. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Shares from any Underwriter.

 

13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) each Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Shares, and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and any Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Shares set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Underwriters and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that no Underwriter has any obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and (d) it has been advised that each Underwriter is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of such Underwriter, and not on behalf of the Company.

 

14. Amendments and Waivers. No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby. The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the future. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.

 

15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision.

 

16. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

17. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company irrevocably (a) submits to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Borough of Manhattan or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus and the Final Prospectus (each a “Proceeding”), (b) agrees that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (c) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agrees not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum. THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE TIME OF SALE DISCLOSURE PACKAGE, ANY PROSPECTUS AND THE FINAL PROSPECTUS.

 

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission or electronic mail) in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms. 

 

  Very truly yours,
     
  HOTH THERAPEUTICS, INC.
     
  By:                                
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

Confirmed as of the date first above-mentioned.  
     
THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC  
as Representative of the several Underwriters  
     
By:                                
Name:    
Title:    

 

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]

  

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SCHEDULE I

 

Name   Number of Firm
Shares to be
Purchased
    Number of Option
Shares to be
Purchased
 
THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC                                  
                 
Total                

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc.

 

1,818,182 Shares of Common Stock

 

Final Term Sheet

 

Issuer: Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”)
   
Symbol: HOTH
   
Securities: 1,818,182 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company
   
Over-allotment option: 272,727 shares
   
Public offering price: $2.75 per share of Common Stock
   
Underwriting discount: $0.1925 per share of Common Stock
   
Trade date: May 22, 2020
   
Settlement date: May 27, 2020
   
Underwriters: THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

Free Writing Prospectus

 

None.

 

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

List of officers, directors and stockholders executing lock-up agreements 

 

All current stockholders of the company and all directors and director nominees.

Aikido Pharma Inc.

Chelexa Biosciences, Inc.

Matthew Eitner

Laidlaw Holdings Ltd.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

Dated: _______________

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58th St., 17th Floor

New York, NY 10155

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you, as the representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters named therein, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Hoth Therapeutics, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), relating to a proposed offering of securities of the Company (the “Offering”) including shares of the Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, and in order to induce you to participate the Offering, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion), the undersigned will not, during the period (the “Lock-Up Period”) beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date 46 days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Offering (the “Final Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file (or participate in the filing of) a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (including without limitation, shares of Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant), (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the shares of, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, or (4) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (1), (2) or (3) above.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictions set forth in clause (1) and (2) above shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the open market after the completion of the Offering, (b) transfers (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, or (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (c) the acquisition or exercise of any stock option issued pursuant to the Company’s existing stock option plan or otherwise outstanding on the date hereof, including any exercise effected by the delivery of shares of Common Stock of the Company held by the undersigned, or (d) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 (a “Rule 10b5-1 Plan”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”); provided, however, that no sales of Common Stock or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Common Stock, shall be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended pursuant to the provisions hereof); provided further, that the Company is not required to report the establishment of such Rule 10b5-1 Plan in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act during the Lock-Up Period and does not otherwise voluntarily effect any such public filing or report regarding such Rule 10b5-1 Plan, and (e) any demands or requests for, exercise any right with respect to, or take any action in preparation of, the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock, provided that no transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the exercise of any such right and no registration statement shall be filed under the Securities Act with respect to any of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period. For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.

 

The foregoing restrictions are expressly agreed to preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of shares of Common Stock even if such securities would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include without limitation any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including without limitation any put option or put equivalent position or call option or call equivalent position) with respect to any of the shares of Common Stock or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such shares.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar or depositary against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

 

 

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representative agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Common Shares, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company will agree in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

 

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the securities to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Lock-Up Agreement.

 

This Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof. The undersigned irrevocably (i) submits to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Borough of Manhattan and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Lock-Up Agreement (each a “Proceeding”), (ii) agrees that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (iii) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (iv) agrees not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (v) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  Name:

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

Form of Press Release

 

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc.

[Date]

 

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that The Benchmark Company, LLC, the Representative in the Company’s recent public sale of shares of common stock is [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on , 20 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR THE SECURITIES FOR WHICH THIS SECURITY IS EXERCISABLE HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD UNLESS (I) SUCH SECURITIES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED FOR SALE PURSUANT TO THE SECURITIES ACT, (II) SUCH SECURITIES MAY BE SOLD PURSUANT TO RULE 144, OR (III) THE COMPANY HAS RECEIVED AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO IT THAT SUCH TRANSFER MAY LAWFULLY BE MADE WITHOUT REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. THIS SECURITY AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

PURSUANT TO SECTION 2 OF THIS WARRANT, ALL OR A PORTION OF THIS WARRANT MAY HAVE BEEN EXERCISED, AND THEREFORE THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS WARRANT MAY BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT SET FORTH ON THE FACE HEREOF.

 

UNDERWRITER COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

HOTH THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

Warrant Shares: _______ Issue Date: May 27, 2020

 

THIS UNDERWRITER COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the six month anniversary (the “Exercisability Date”) of the Issue Date set forth above and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on May 21, 2025 (the “Termination Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Hoth Therapeutics, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), up to ______1 shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b). This Warrant is being issued pursuant to that certain underwriting agreement, dated as of May 21, 2020, by and among the Company and The Benchmark Company, LLC, as representative of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

 

 

1 Insert number of shares equal to 5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock sold in the offering on the closing date and each option closing date, if any.

 

1

 

 

Section 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Section 2. Exercise.

 

a) Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Exercisability Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by e-mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the Warrant Shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market located in the United States is open for trading.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange, or any successors to any of the foregoing.

 

Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares upon a “cashless exercise” and without limiting the liquidated damages provision in Section 2(d)(i) and the buy-in provision in Section 2(d)(iv), in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle a Warrant exercise.

 

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b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per one Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $2.75, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).

 

c) Cashless Exercise. This Warrant may be exercised, in whole or in part, by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrant Shares being issued may be tacked on to the holding period of this Warrant. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Securities then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

3

 

 

VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock is then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrant Shares then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

d) Mechanics of Exercise.

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by its transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder or (B) the Warrant Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 (in the event that the Warrant has been exercised on a cashless basis), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earlier of (i) the earlier of (A) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise and (B) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.

 

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ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Warrants with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

5

 

 

v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of legal counsel related to any opinion required by the transfer agent in connection with such issuance, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

 

6

 

 

vii. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below).  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.  Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one (1) Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding.  In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant. “Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive Common Stock. “Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act. “Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

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Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

 

a) Share Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a share dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse share split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of Common Stock any share capital of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b) Reserved.

 

c) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time while this Warrant is outstanding the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase shares, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

d) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend (other than cash) or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder's right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Warrant.

 

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e) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person (other than for the purpose of changing the Company’s name and/or the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company or a holding company for the Company, (ii) the Company (and all of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole), directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the shares of Common Stock are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of the Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction), purchase this Warrant from the Holder by paying to the Holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value (as defined below) of the remaining unexercised portion of this Warrant on the date of the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction; provided, however, that if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company's control, including not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, Holder shall only be entitled to receive from the Company or any Successor Entity the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, share or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of the Common Stock are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction; provided, further, that if holders of Common Stock of the Company are not offered or paid any consideration in such Fundamental Transaction, such holders of Common Stock will be deemed to have received common stock of the Successor Entity (which Entity may be the Company following such Fundamental Transaction) in such Fundamental Transaction. “Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black and Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg, L.P. (“Bloomberg”) determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the greater of (i) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) the greater of (x) the last VWAP immediately prior to the public announcement of such Fundamental Transaction and (y) the last VWAP immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds (or by delivery of such other consideration, as applicable) within five (5) Trading Days of the Holder’s election (or, if later, on the effective date of the Fundamental Transaction). The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(e) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of share capital of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such share capital (but taking into account the relative value of the Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such share capital, such number of share capital and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

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f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g) Notice to Holder.

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any share capital of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

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Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

 

a) Transferability. Pursuant to FINRA a) Rule 5110(g)(1), neither this Warrant nor any Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of this Warrant shall be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of the offering pursuant to which this Warrant is being issued, except the transfer of any security:

 

i. by operation of law or by reason of reorganization of the Company;

 

ii. to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and the officers and partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period;

 

iii. if the aggregate amount of securities of the Company held by the underwriter and related persons do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered;

 

iv. that is beneficially owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund, and participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or

 

11

 

 

v. the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period.

 

Subject to the foregoing restriction and subject to compliance with any applicable securities laws and the conditions set forth in Section 4(d) hereof, this Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within two (2) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the Issue Date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

d) Transfer Restrictions. If, at the time of the surrender of this Warrant in connection with any transfer of this Warrant, the transfer of this Warrant shall not be either (i) registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or (ii) eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions or current public information requirements pursuant to Rule 144, the Company may require, as a condition of allowing such transfer, that the Holder or transferee of this Warrant, as the case may be, provide to the Company, at the Company’s sole expense, an opinion of counsel, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company to the effect that the transfer of this Warrant does not require registration under the Securities Act.

 

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e) Representation by the Holder. The Holder, by the acceptance hereof, represents and warrants that it is acquiring this Warrant and, upon any exercise hereof, will acquire the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise, for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Warrant Shares or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act.

 

Section 5. Registration Rights

 

a) Grant of Right. Unless a registration statement covering the exercise of this Warrant and the sale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder is in effect and available, until the seventh anniversary of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the Holder shall have the right to include the Warrant Shares as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act, or pursuant to Form S-8 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock which may be included in the registration statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such registration statement only such limited portion of the Warrant Shares with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Warrant Shares shall be made pro rata among the holders seeking to include registrable securities in proportion to the number of Warrant Shares sought to be included by such holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Warrant Shares unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such registration statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Warrant Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to register any Warrant Shares pursuant to this Section that are subject of a then effective registration statement.

 

b) Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, but the holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Warrant Shares. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then holders of outstanding Warrant Shares with not less than fifteen (15) days written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company until such time as all of the Warrant Shares have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Warrant Shares shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within five (5) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 5(b).

 

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Section 6. Miscellaneous.

 

a) No Rights as Shareholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a shareholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3.

 

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any share certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or share certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or share certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or share certificate.

 

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

d) Authorized Shares.

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

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Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its articles of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Jurisdiction. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies, notwithstanding the fact that all rights hereunder terminate on the Termination Date. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant or the Underwriting Agreement, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

h) Notices. Any notice, request or other document required or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall be delivered to the address for the Holder in the Warrant Register.

 

i) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a shareholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

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j) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

k) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

l) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

 

 

HOTH THERAPEUTICS, INC.

   
 

By:

 

    Name:
    Title:

 

 

 

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: HOTH THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

in lawful money of the United States; or

 

the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

(4) Accredited Investor. The undersigned is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________________________________

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________________

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

  

EXHIBIT B

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:

____________________________________
  (Please Print)
   
Address: ____________________________________

 

Phone Number:

 

Email Address:

(Please Print)

______________________________________

 

______________________________________

   
Dated: _______________ __, ______  
   
Holder’s Signature: ______________________  
Holder’s Address: ______________________  

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, New York 10112-0015

212.653.8700 main

212.653.8701 fax

www.sheppardmullin.com

 

May 22, 2020

 

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc.

1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1039

New York, NY 10020

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

You have requested our opinion with respect to certain matters in connection with the offering for sale of 2,090,909 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) and the Prospectus (as defined below). Unless defined herein, capitalized terms have the meanings given to them in that certain Underwriting Agreement dated May 21, 2020 by and between the Company and The Benchmark Company, LLC as the representative of the several underwriters to be named therein relating to the issuance and sale by the Company of Shares (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

 

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K.

 

In connection with this opinion, we have reviewed and relied upon the following:

 

the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-236887) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 4, 2020 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (including any documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Registration Statement,” and the related prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including any documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Base Prospectus”));

 

the final prospectus supplement, which includes the Base Prospectus, filed on May 22, 2020 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, which is referred to as the “Prospectus”;

 

the Underwriting Agreement;

 

the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended and in effect on the date hereof;

 

the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company in effect on the date hereof;

 

the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, adopted on May 21, 2020 authorizing the execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares, the preparation and filing of the Prospectus, and other actions with regard thereto; and

 

such other documents, records, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as we deem necessary as a basis for this opinion.

 

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, including endorsements, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photocopy, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to any facts relevant to the opinions stated herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials.

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company under the Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”) and, when the Shares are delivered to and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and when evidence of the issuance thereof is duly recorded in the Company’s books and records, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

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Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, New York 10112-0015

212.653.8700 main

212.653.8701 fax

www.sheppardmullin.com

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K being filed on the date hereof and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. We also hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder or Item 509 of Regulation S-K.

 

We express no opinion as to matters governed by any laws other than the NRS.

 

We disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments that hereafter may be brought to our attention and that may alter, affect or modify the opinion expressed herein. Our opinion is expressly limited to the matters set forth above and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise, as to any other matters relating to the Company or the Shares.

 

   Respectfully submitted,
   
  /s/ Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
  SHEPPARD, MULLIN, RICHTER & HAMPTON LLP

 

 

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Exhibit 99.1

 

Hoth Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Shares of Common Stock

 

NEW YORK, NY, May 21, 2020 /PR Newswire/ Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (“Hoth” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HOTH), a biopharmaceutical company, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 1,818,182 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $2.75 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions. In addition, Hoth has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 272,727 shares of common stock at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. All shares of common stock are being offered by Hoth. Gross proceeds from the offering will be approximately $5.0 million. The offering is expected to close on or about May 27, 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. 

 

The Benchmark Company is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering.

 

A registration statement on Form S-3 (including a preliminary prospectus describing the terms of the offering) relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and has become effective. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A copy of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC and may be obtained, when available, for free on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. When available, electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained by contacting The Benchmark Company, Attn: Prospectus Department, 150 E. 58th Street, 17th floor, New York, NY 10155 or by calling 212-312-6700 or by emailing prospectus@benchmarkcompany.com.

 

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

 

About Hoth Therapeutics, Inc.

 

Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new generation therapies for dermatological disorders. Hoth’s pipeline has the potential to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from indications including atopic dermatitis, chronic wounds, psoriasis, asthma and acne. Hoth has also recently entered into two different agreements to further the development of two different vaccine prospects to prevent or treat COVID-19. To learn more, please visit www.hoththerapeutics.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statement

 

Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the proposed offering, timing and the use of proceeds. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “intend” or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to the Company on the date of this press release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, those set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

Investor Contact:

 

Phone: (646) 756-2997

Email: investorrelations@hoththerapeutics.com 

www.hoththerapeutics.com

 

KCSA Strategic Communications

Valter Pinto, Managing Director

(212) 896-1254

Hoth@kcsa.com